1. Field of the Invention:
The invention relates to an oven exhaust system, and particularly to an exhaust system for use with an oven that is located beneath a solid cooktop.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
In a standard electric baking and broiling oven, the oven is vented through an opening in the top wall of the oven liner. An offset adapter duct joins with the oven vent opening and discharges beneath one of the rear, spiral, metal sheathed electrical resistance surface heating units of the cooktop that is mounted above the oven. One example of such a venting system for an electric range is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,847,135 to George R. Sherman, which is assigned to the same assignee as is the present invention.
In recent years, solid plate glass-ceramic cooktops have been used on some model ranges to replace the cooktops with metal sheathed electrical resistance surface heating units. Such glass-ceramic plates are effectively sealed across the entire top surface of the cooktop to prevent liquids from draining beneath the cooktop. This presents a problem of venting the oven.
One solution is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,636,309 where the oven is vented out through an exhaust grille in the lower front portion of the backsplash of the range. This patent lacks a showing of the particular duct means that are used for connecting the oven vent to the exhaust grille.
A principal object of the present invention is to provide a baking oven with an oven venting system that exits from the back edge of the oven and is provided with a cooling air entry means and an internal trap to prevent backdrafts from exiting through the cooling air entry means.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a range having a glass-ceramic cooktop with an oven venting system of the class described having a cooling air mixing facility and positive means for preventing grease laden exhaust gases from being expelled into the wiring compartment at the rear of the range.